Seriake Dickson Slams Diri For Dumping PDP

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Seriake Dickson, senator representing Bayelsa west, has slammed Douye Diri, governor of Bayelsa, following his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Dickson accused Diri and other defectors of leaving the problems they created.

The African Examiner recalls that Diri resigned from the PDP on Wednesday after a cabinet meeting at the government house in Yenagoa.

The governor stated that he left the opposition party for “very obvious reasons”.

Speaking with journalists after the senate plenary on Wednesday, Dickson stated that Diri had consulted him “several times” before he made the decision, however, he found no serious reason for a second-term governor to dump the PDP.

“I am where I have been. I am where I am. I don’t believe that Nigeria should be a one-party state,” Dickson said.

“As a soldier of democracy, I’m used to the ups and downs of political life. I remain steadfast in the Peoples Democratic Party, working with my colleagues and friends to ensure that the problems in the party are solved.”

The former Bayelsa governor accused the PDP governors and members of the party’s national working committee (NWC) of being responsible in the crisis of the party.

“I hope that the governors and the leadership working committee who created this mess in our party, all of them, and who, instead of showing leadership, have created this mess and ensured that it has persisted for this long,” he said.

“They are the ones now bailing out after creating the problem that they could not solve or refused to solve. It’s very sad. Very, very sad. It’s making Nigeria look small and making our country’s democracy look ridiculous.”

According to Dickson, the defection trend is a threat to democracy in the country.

“We don’t really know what they are pursuing or what is pursuing them. But whatever it is, it belittles our democracy and endangers our multi-party system,” he said.

“Since I left office, I’ve not acted as a godfather. I made no demands, placed no pressure, only offered advice when consulted.

“In this case, the governor consulted me several times, but I was not convinced because I didn’t see any compelling reason for a second-term governor to defect.”

Dickson disclosed that his loyalty to the PDP is hinged in the party’s historical role in empowering the Niger Delta and the Ijaw nation.

“I am still standing in the PDP that gave my people and the Niger Delta an opportunity to run for vice-president, acting president, and president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.

“This other party cannot do that. I believe there must be opposition. A democracy without opposition ceases to be democracy.”

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